Development and validation of the brief pathological dissociation scale PDS(B): Initial psychometrics

Abstract

The goal is to validate a brief scale for pathological dissociation (PDS-B). Using a longitudinal design, 229 participants completed a questionnaire that included the brief dissociation experience scale (DES-B), the PDS-B, international trauma questionnaire, Beck depression inventory, cumulative traumas, and will to exist, live, and survive scales, in times 1 and 2. We used correlation, exploratory in time one, confirmatory factor analyses in time two, and hierarchical multiple regression to analyze the data. Results indicated that the PDS-B has good construct validity, reliability, test-retest stability, convergent, discriminant, criterion, and predictive l validity. It had robust incremental validity as its effect sizes on predicting CPTSD, PTSD, and depression were medium to large, compared to the relatively lower effect sizes of other predicting variables. The measure seems to be a good screening tool for pathological dissociation.